Prawn toast is a favourite of mine. The crunch of biting through the crisply fried bread base and savouring the juicy prawn topping, truly scrumptious. Usually eaten just out of the wok, steam escaping from the prawn topping, usually up my nose as I take that first bite.
As much as I adore prawn toast, it really isn’t an everyday food, is it?. Being fried in oil, the bread does do its fair share of soaking a bit of that oil up, no matter how well you drain it. Healthy for you, this dish is not.
On the weekend once in a while, I will make this as a treat for the boys, and of course as a treat for myself. Simple finger food served with some sweet chilli sauce on the side.
I never order them these days when we eat out at Chinese restaurants. I have often wondered if they are of those ‘Anglo’ dishes that are just there for those of us from non Chinese backgrounds. They were a staple item I would always want to order as a child, but these days I always tend to order items a lot more interesting and unusual. 
I most certainly would never order it as a home delivery item for a lazy non cooking night in. Sadly yes, I have done that once. I was trying to appease some major prawn toast cravings. What I received, which is, of course, is to be expected, was a limp triangle of soggy, cold, oily toast with a thin layer of prawn paste on top. Guess what, haven’t done that again. I learned to live with any cravings I may have and satisfy them at a later date.
The recipe I use is actually my Mum’s. She shared it with me after returning back to Australia from living in Singapore with Dad for a while. It is a simple, quick and honest recipe.
Ingredients
- 12 medium green prawns shelled and de-veined, finely chopped
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 1 red chilli finely chopped
- 1 egg white whisked
- 4 slices of white bread toast thickness, cut into quarters
- oil for frying
- Options: white sesame seeds and chopped coriander cilantro
Instructions
- Place finely chopped prawns, green onion, chilli and whisked egg white in a bowl. Combine all the ingredients well.
- Place a generous heaped spoonful of prawn mixture on each bread quarter.
- In a wok heat a generous amount of oil to fry your prawn toast. You don't want your toast to touch the bottom of your wok. Test the oil with a bread crumb. When the crumb comes to the surface and sizzles away the oil is ready to use.
- Place six or seven pieces of prawn toast, prawn side down in the oil.
- Fry until golden and then flip over and continue cooking until the other side is also golden.
- Lift prawn toast from the oil, shake any excess oil off and drain well on kitchen paper.
- Continue to cook the remainder of your toast as above.
- Serve with sweet chilli sauce on the side.
- Option: Add some chopped coriander (cilantro) to your prawn mix before you place on your bread. You can also sprinkle the top of the prawn mixture with white sesame seeds before frying.
Nutrition
I tend to be generous with the prawn topping, by doing so I feel it counteracts the fried toast it rests on. What has always amazed me about this recipe is how the prawn topping just sticks to the bread. The first time I made it I really did expect the prawn to float away in the bubbling oil as its bread base buddy floated the other direction. I think the trick is frying it prawn side down first. Plus the egg white helps.
Childhood food cravings appeased with a quick, easy and very satisfying recipe. Thank you Mum.
Sara xxx
Sara says
I’ve been looking for an easy recipe for dinner and this looks delicious! I can’t wait to try this!
Sara says
Hi Simon, would be great finger food to pass around.
Hi John, yes we all thought we were ever so sophisticated back then.
Hi VegeTARAian, thank you, is an easy one to make.
Hi Renata, thank you, I think I tend to treat myself way too often.
Hi Gaby, yes I channel Yoda quite often, I think it would work with gluten free bread and coconut oil, can’t see why it wouldn’t.
Hi Rita, yep when I go to yum cha, I do my fair share of fried prawn goodies in mayo, goes really well.
Hi Sarah, thank you, it is quite delish.
Hi Von, yep the crunch of the bread is a winner.
Hi Martyna, thanks Martyna.
Hi Food is our religion, is easy peasy.
Hi Penny, they are are home treat for us, that’s for sure.
Hi Chopinand, thank you so much.
Chopinand @ ChopinandMysaucepan says
Dear Sara,
This looks really delicious and I think you have elevated this comfort snack a few notches up. Thanks for sharing a classic recipe.
penny aka jeroxie says
Yummo! I forgot all about these lovely babies. I don’t order these when I go out either.
Food is our religion says
This looks so easy and fun! esp with the bread!
[email protected] says
Perfect prawn toasts – please thank your Mum! I reckon even some of the restaurant versions would not measure up.
Von says
I LOVE the crunch of the fried bread in prawn toast- I love the prawns too, but it’s the bread which is the best 😉 I’ve only ordered it once at a Chinese restuarant, but it wasn’t that great….homemade is heaps better!
Sarah @ The Healthy Diva says
Looking yummy as always sara!!! quick and easy recipes are usually the most delish 🙂
Rita (mademoiselle délicieuse) says
I loved prawn toast as a kid! It’s great dipped into mayo actually =p
Gaby says
I must confess I’ve never eaten prawn toast. I’m curious, but I’d prefer to make my own with gluten-free bread & coconut oil… not sure how that would affect the taste. “Healthy for you, this dish is not”… a Yoda moment? 🙂
Renata Lacerda says
It sure isn’t an everyday food, but I agree with you that we have to treat ourselves every once in a while 🙂 These prawn toasts sound absolutely delish!
vegeTARAian says
Love the look of these! Yummo
[email protected] says
Love these! Yes, I remember the days as a youngin’ ordering prawn toast thinking I was classy. Lol. I haven’t had it for ages! Great recipe
Simon Food Favourites says
they’d be great as a canapé for a party 🙂